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Soft in the middle and chewy on the edges
Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies – a walk down memory lane!
These delicious Old-Fashioned Ice Oatmeal Cookies are so much better than the cookies of my childhood. They’re soft in the middle, chewy around the edges, they’re not overly sweet and have notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. This is a really terrific cookie!
Do you remember Iced Oatmeal Cookies from your childhood?
We often regale our grown children with stories of what life used to be like without microwaves, Internet, cable, email, Facetime or hands-free anything. Technology is amazing and the pace with which it’s being developed is nothing less than astonishing.
Overview of ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- rolled or old-fashioned oats
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
For the icing:
- milk, cream or water as needed for the desired consistency
- powdered sugar
Overview: How to make our Iced Oatmeal Cookies recipe
First, prepare the cookie dough:
- Pulse the oats in a food processor to achieve a variety of textures. Combine the oats with the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl beat the butter until creamy, then add the sugars. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then pour in the vanilla.
- Blend in the dry ingredients.
- Form into dough balls and bake.
Next prepare the icing:
- Mix the ingredients together until you have a thick, but pourable icing. Dip the tops of each cooled cookies into the icing just enough to give them a glaze. Let the excess drip off and place on a wire rack until set.
The reviews are in! Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies are everybody’s favorite.
These homemade Iced Oatmeal Cookies are so much better than store-bought. They have the perfect texture and just the right amount of icing.
The craggy top has great visual appeal, too. These cookies don’t last long!
We love the craggy top for great visual appeal
Can you freeze Iced Oatmeal Cookies?
These cookies freeze beautifully and will keep well sealed in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can freeze them with or without the icing.
Place sheets of wax paper or parchment between the layers and make sure the icing is set. Pop them in the freezer and enjoy! Make-ahead cookies perfect for any occasion,
Thanks for PINNING!
Old-Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats * (160g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (252g)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (16 tablespoons or 226g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (226g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (110g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the icing:
- 2 tablespoons milk cream or water (more or less as needed for desired consistency)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (230g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
To prepare the cookie dough:
- Add the rolled oats to a food processor and pulse 10 times. Don't over process because you want a variety of textures not just a ground oat flour. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk or stir to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter on medium-high about 30 seconds. Add the brown and granulated sugars and mix on medium-high until the batter lightens and becomes fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears into the batter. Lightly beat in the vanilla. Add about ⅓ of the oat and flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture, mixing on a low speed just until blended. Continue adding the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
- Using a 2 tablespoon size ice cream or cookie scoop (not heaping - leveled straight across the top of the scoop), roll the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet at least 2-inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms just begin to brown. Do not over-bake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.
To prepare the icing:
- Combine the powdered sugar with the milk. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the icing is somewhat thick. Place the icing in a shallow dish or container, about 4x4 inches. Quickly dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing and let the excess drip off. Set the dipped cookie on the rack until the icing has set.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Finally, here are a few more oatmeal cookie recipes you might also enjoy:
- Spiced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Doubletree Cookie Recipe
- Coconut Lover’s Oatmeal Cookies
- Triple Threat Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Peanut Butter Revel Bars with Oats
Finally … I was wondering … what’s the very first ‘cool technology’ thing you remember?
If you say an iPhone I’m going to feel old! A few of the other things I remember coming along were fax machines, Federal Express, memory and correcting typewriters.
I actually had one of the early cell phones. You know the giant ones that mounted in your car? I also remember it was $.25 a minute and there were no usage plans!
Back in the day we relied heavily on our pagers and used cell phones to check messages. If I needed to return a call, I would run to a pay phone instead of racking up the cell phone bill.
Sheesh – it’s so much easier now.
Carly r
Just made these for my Christmas cookie exchange and I’m in heaven with them! Love this recipe and get to share it with all my friends so excited! Thank you for sharing!!
Tricia Buice
Outstanding Carly! Thank you for trying the cookie recipe and for the feedback. Have a blessed Christmas!
Rachael R.
No matter what I do I can’t get these cookies to flatten and be crispy 🙁 🙁 🙁 my fiancé has no problem with the way they come out {puffy and chewy} but I want them crispy like the pictures. I’m not sure what gives :’( I follow the recipe to a T!
Tricia Buice
Hi Rachael. I’m sorry they’re not turning out like the photos. I think maybe the oats are processed too much? The cookies are crisp around the edges but soft in the middle so maybe the texture is not completely off. Glad you enjoyed them anyway and I’m sure you followed the recipe correctly. Try cutting your processing in half and see if that works. Thanks for trying them – hope that helps!
Cyndei
Happy holidays Trish!!
We must be the same exact age. I resemble each and every of the time travels you mentioned which has made my heart more full than you know….
Life seems short looking back now but girl there is a lot of life left in us…..don’t stop baking!!
Cyndei, with and e i…like Old McDonald had a farm, e i, ei, O!!
Tricia Buice
Hi Cyndei! Thank you so much for the lovely comment. I wish you and your family a very happy holiday season! May there be many, many more wondrous memories in our future 🙂 Happy baking to you and thanks again.
Kristen
I made them using instant oats. I didn’t read that until I had baked them oops! ? They turned out fine though! I baked them for only 12 minutes because I like a soft cookie. No matter what I did I couldn’t get the icing to thicken. I used cold milk maybe next time I’ll try warming it up first. Thanks!
Tricia Buice
So glad they turned out for you Kristen! Not sure about the icing, I used cold milk too. Thank you for the feedback and for trying our recipe!
Kansas Mom
Does the icing harden well? Asking because we will be traveling and I didn’t know how well this cookie would travel in a car, if not kept in a cooler.
Tricia Buice
The icing hardens pretty well but if you are concerned, leave out the milk or cream. It won’t be as creamy white and will be less transparent, but it will still taste great. I didn’t have any trouble with the icing when the cookies were stacked together. Pack them carefully and I bet they will be fine. This is a good travel cookie!
Brigitte
The cookies I made turned out perfect! I was a little leary about making them for the first time after reading all the comments. The one thing everyone said was the cookie was delisious whether it turned out like the picture or not so I had to give them a try. Although I used vegan butter and Aquafaba instead of eggs for the cookie and coconut milk from the can in place of milk for the icing. My grandchildren and the children that come over to play with my grandchildren loved the cookies! I’m not Vegan, but my good friend and her family are so I enjoy trying new recipes that I can share with them. This oatmeal cookie recipe was a hit and I know I will be making it again….. Next time I make them I am going to try grinding up some nuts and snipping some raisins to add to the cookie dough. Thank you for sharing this deilous cookie recipe!
Tricia Buice
Yeah! Thanks for the feedback Brigitte and I’m so happy it turned out with your changes too. I love these cookies, and they’re so pretty too. Thank you for letting us know. Your comment will help our readers and it makes me happy too!
Shannan
Help! The first time I made these they were perfect. Since then, however, they’ve been super puffy! I’ve tried different types of pans, grinding the oatmeal less, grinding it more and I even smushed them down at various times in the baking. They still taste good but it’s not the same! Any thoughts?
Tricia Buice
Hi Shannan – I’m not sure what is going on unless you changed brands of oats, butter or live in a location with big swings in humidity maybe. I’m sorry I don’t have a full-proof answer 🙂 I’ve always had good results with this recipe and just love it. Again sorry!
Sophia
I will never buy oatmeal cookies again after finding this recipe! These are exactly what cookie lover needs, buttery, savory,soft, crunchy and sweet but not too sweet!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Sophia! I love these cookies too – and they are such a treat. Thanks again for the feedback and for trying our recipe!
Sydney
I made these cookies today and they are amazing! I followed the recipe exactly as written (I just halved it) and they spread perfectly, had a bumpy texture on top, and the icing looks just like yours do in your pictures. I love how the icing on top resembles snow– they’re perfect Christmas cookies! Thank you again for the fabulous recipe, it’ll now be a go-to winter cookie for me!
Tricia Buice
Hi Sydney!!! I cannot thank you enough for commenting about your experience with these wonderful cookies. People often comment when things don’t turn out completely right – but less so when they are happy. So thank you very, very much! I loved these cookies and can’t wait to make them again. They do look like wintertime! Have a wonderful holiday season and thanks again.
Boys hockeynana
Just finished making them and both my husband and daughter said they were delis. Couldn’t get them to spread and was very careful about the oats but after seeing that the first ones out of the oven were still quite puffy I took the bottom of my 1/2cup measuring cup, dipped it in sugar – just enough so it didn’t stick to the cookie – and applied a little pressure to flatten them out a bit. They turned out perfect. Waaay too much icing left over so just had to make sugar cookies to use up lol
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much for the feedback! Glad they liked them!
Kelly
Hi there,
Do you know if these freeze well. And would you think i should freeze baked unbaked or baked.
Thank you.
Kelly
Tricia Buice
Hi Kelly – I would bake the cookies, then freeze. I would wait to do the icing after they are thawed out. But either way, they should be great to freeze! Thanks for the terrific question Kelly! Have a super holiday season.
Darla Andrade
I love crunchy iced oatmeal cookies with a hot cup of straight black coffee! There is just something about the coffee that makes those cookies so good! Anyway, All I had in the cubboard was Quaker quick oats. I decided to try it anyway and mine cracked. They were delicious! Although I did tweak it a little and add more cinnamon. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Darla! Glad the quick oats worked out for you. Have a lovely weekend and thanks so much for the feedback 🙂
Alissa
Frosting tip! Use a silicone brush and brush it on if you want it to look like the picture. I also had to add a lot more powder sugar to thicken. Next time I will start with less liquid since it made more than enough frosting! I also flattened my dough balls before putting in oven to make the cookies come out more flat.
Tricia Buice
What a great idea Alissa! Thanks so much for the feedback and for trying the cookies. They are one of our favorites 🙂 Have a great week and thanks again!
Prudy Copas
Just made these for our youth group in the morning. These are a great. Only change I made was using white whole wheat flour instead of all purpose. Thanks!
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the comment and feedback Prudy. These are wonderful cookies – one of our favorites. Great substitution too 🙂
Lisa
Opps! I didn’t read the recipe all the way through and did not put any of the oats in the food processor! No fear! Just flattened the dough a little with a spatula. Look and smell great! Iced nicely once I got the consistency right. I think the nutmeg is a nice inclusion.
Tricia Buice
Yeah! So glad they worked out for you. Funny little cookies but so worth making! Love them – thanks for letting me know 🙂
Alyssa
Wow these look amazing! Will definitely be making these this weekend!:)
Tricia Buice
Thanks Alyssa – I hope you love them as much as we do. Please read the directions a couple of times before starting – it’s easy but you need to follow the directions exactly to get the cracked top. No worries! Thank you so much!
Lisa M
I only had quick oats and I took a chance and tried it anyways……. They came out great!
Tricia Buice
Thanks so much Lisa! I absolutely love these cookies. Thank you for the feedback. Enjoy 🙂
Terri S.
Do these freeze well? Can I bake them in advance and pop them into the freezer?
Tricia Buice
Hi Terri! I have not tried freezing these cookies, but unfrosted and well sealed, I bet they would be great. I would love to know how they turn our for you! Thanks so much for commenting and reading.
Sally cohick
These turned out just perfect! A big hit in my house.????
Tricia Buice
I am so happy to hear from you Sally! Thank you very much for the feedback – we loved these cookies 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
patricia
This is a tricky recipe, I made 2 batches, the second WITHOUT baking powder which makes them rise and puff, and they were perfectly flat and round; I wonder if your baking powder was old or just a bad batch -it’s happened to me before a few times even with name brands that were just opened. I tried the icing a few different ways in small batches, and the addition of the water just seems to make it runny and gives the cookies more of a glazed look; the cream is best. I wanted mine crispier like the store bought kind( if I could find them) so I baked them a few extra minutes and the texture was right but it turned them too dark.. Ugh!! A friend who is a chef told me to try a cookie press next time , plus I’m going to try adding raisins.
Tricia Buice
Wow Patricia – you really did some testing. I just didn’t have any trouble with them. I will test again but no I don’t think my baking powder was old. I bake a lot and keep fresh ingredients since my blog business depends on it. Not sure if you were responding to another commenter – but thanks for letting us know how it went for you.
Bethy
I want mine flat and crispy. Thanks for the tip.
Have you tried it with the raisins yet? How was it?
Tricia Buice
I have not tried these with raisins – so please let me know if you do! Thanks Bethy – hope you love them